Ulliance Well-Being Blog

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, here in the United States, “one in three women and one in six men experienced some form of contact sexual violence in their lifetime.”

Sexual violence may be broadly defined as the act of forcing, manipulating, or coercing someone into unwanted, non-consensual sexual activity.

Implementing 5 key steps helps to ensure a safe and secure environmentThe culture of workplace sexual harassment is changing, even as #MeToo effects continue toripple throughout many industries. But there’s still work to be done—and prevention is the keyto creating a work environment free from harassment.

Employers are responsible for creating a safe and secure environment where workers are not
faced with harassment, or fearful of potential fallout from reporting such incidents.

Recently, Ulliance leadership was featured in dbusiness magazine as the Faces of Complete Workplace Well-Being.

For more than 30 years, Troy-based Ulliance has been helping companies create a culture of total well-being through comprehensive programs that improve business by enhancing people’s lives. The Ulliance employee assistance, wellness, and training programs; career transition services; organizational development; and crisis management support more than 1 million employees spanning 260 organizations worldwide — and they can assist yours as well.

Kent Sharkey shared his perspective on the impact sexual harassment revelations have on co-workers, colleagues and employers as all grapple with making sense of these troubling situations.

The following topics were highlighted:

How can an employer support employees who are faced with the revelation that a trusted and esteemed colleague is involved in a sexual harassment / misconduct allegation?

How organizations can be prepared to handle these types of allegations / reports, including what employers, HR people or co-workers should do if they are confronted with information related to sexual harassment.

What can employers do to create a sense of safety and security for all employees when it comes to sexual harassment?

Studies show that nearly 75 percent of Americans believe workplace harassment is an issue, and of that, 64 percent deem it serious. In today’s world, instances of this are more and more prevalent. Headlines revealing stories of misogynistic commentary, quid pro quo behavior and more dominate our newsfeeds, arrive in our email and are delivered to our doorsteps daily.